Maria's Heart

hoped, her latest pro bono case hitting roadblock after roadblock. But helping people like Mrs. Romano-a widow fighting to keep her home from foreclosure-was w

fe, but Maria barely noticed, her thoughts tangled in legal briefs and deadlines. She didn't see the man wat

-

r car when the first scream shattered the night. Turning, she saw a m

her veins as she pursued the thief down a dark alley. She wasn't sure what she'd do if she caug

ve to wait lo

The stranger's face was partially obscured by the shadows, but his presence was unmistakable. The thief tried to veer around him

commanded, his voic

, letting the purse

e, his sharp jawline and piercing gray eyes cutting through the darkness like a blade. His tailored suit and

he asked, holdi

d, too stun

ls," he said, his tone scolding

m get away," Maria repl

o a faint smile. "You're

hing sirens filled the air. The man stepped back

-

Who was that man? His confidence, his power-it was intoxicating.

e was

n a much more dangerous setting. Unbeknownst to her, she had stumbled into a world

-

he faint smirk that danced on his lips, and the way he exuded authority with effortless ease. She co

shed herself through her morning routine-shower, coffee, and a quick glance at the news. The headlines were as grim as

se she was building for Mrs. Romano and the unsettling events of the previous night

ourthouse, reviewing documents over a latte. The hum of conversation an

n she saw

ed as he entered, his presence commanding attention without effort. His sharp black suit was

sn't sure if it was excitement,

A flicker of recognition passed across his face, followed by a slow, deliberate

" he said, his vo

rprise. "How do y

ur business card in the purse.

stincts kicking in. "You kept

e chair across from her without waiting for an invitation.

quickened. "Ye

before shaking it. His grip was firm, his skin warm a

rtrooms and newsrooms, always in hushed tones. Luca DeLuc

herself, unsure how

an eyebrow

owed hard.

unnerving. "I suppose th

sked about her work, showing genuine interest in her cases, and she found herself relaxing agains

uldn't shake the sense that there was mo

you," she said finally. "F

tone light. "But if you ins

dangerous, a walking storm in an expensive suit. But the

d idea," she said, though h

ocking onto hers. "Sometimes, the be

tormed in. Their leather jackets bore a familiar emblem-a serpent coiled around

he men scanned the café. Their eyes landed o

dripping with mockery. "Luca DeLuca,

s chair, his expression unreadable. "And

le. Stay out of Valenti territory, or next time..." He gestured to the patro

. The tension in the room was palpable, and she r

ned to her, his calm demeanor unshake

in over her head, and she knew it. But as Luca's eye

ar it. The moment Dominic and his men left, the tension in the room shifted. Patrons began whispering among themselves, sneaking glances a

p, taking a slow sip as if the confrontation moments ago hadn't happened. When his gaze retu

seen a ghost," he said

came out shakier than she inte

nds on the table. "The fact that men like Dominic exist? Or the fact t

wasn't just a man in a sharp suit with a commanding presence-he was dangerous, a figu

about it," Maria admitted, her voice steady

ving into a faint smile. "Terrifie

whether to ask him more or run as far away as possible. But somethi

. He glanced at the screen, his expression tightening for the briefes

asked, trying to

at," Luca replied

her. "Does that 'business' have an

or a moment, Maria thought he might brush her off, but in

e. "But since you're sitting here, asking questions you probably shouldn't be ask

e intensity in his tone. "A

th lifted in a half-smil

it with such ease. She could feel the walls of her carefully ordered life

nly, standing up so quickly her

urried. "Why? Because you're scared? Or because

She didn't have an answer-not one

Luca offered, his voice s

ary," Maria replie

ed, his tone leaving

ut of the café, his hand lightly resting on the small of her back. The gest

the café fading into the background. A sleek black car was p

s," Luca said to the driver bef

seat. The interior of the car was immaculate, with subtle hin

nced at Luca, who was sitting bes

oing this?" sh

I want to make sure you're safe. And because I don't

espond. Instead, she turned her gaze to the window, watchin

head, each one more pressing than the last. Who was Luca, really? What had drawn him into the wor

, Maria felt no closer to finding the answers. Luc

aid, her voice bar

on her. "Be careful, Maria. The

driver sped off into the night. Maria stood on the sidew

but her life had just

ning. She couldn't shake the image of Luca-his piercing eyes, his commanding p

omething else. A darkness. A danger

s standing on the edge of something vast and unknown.

ins, casting a somber hue over her small apartment. She sat up slowly, her thoughts still heavy with the events of th

at a moment of vulnerability and nothing more. But deep down, she

n the familiar. As she waited for the brew, her eyes wandered to the small stack of case files on her counter-the Romano case sit

st ideas are the o

ant to admit it, but she felt drawn to him, like a moth to a flame

her from her thoughts. She glanced at the

aria. I hope you

ng. How had he gotten her number? She wasn'

how to respond, anothe

. Tonight. My driver will

. She stared at the screen, the weight of his wo

spilling her coffee. Her mind raced as she crossed the

e she recognized. A deliveryman stood there, hold

ked, glancing at the a

e said he

is for

smooth fabric of the ribbon. She closed the door, her

d lifted the lid. Inside was a sing

earned. Let me show you

her entire career fighting for justice, standing firm against the kind of men Luca represented. But

life, Maria wasn't sure wh

ing the note in her hand. She knew that opening the door to Luca's world wo

e petals stark against the darkness of the

de her d

fingers trembling as she ty

es